


Honor

by MyLifeUnedited



Series: All We Do [2]
Category: Band of Brothers, The Pacific - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, M/M, September 11 Attacks, Terrorism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-18
Updated: 2013-11-18
Packaged: 2018-01-01 22:44:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1049437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyLifeUnedited/pseuds/MyLifeUnedited
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Snafu sits in stunned horror as the building collapses. The dust rises first and then slowly slips through every available crack on the street. Snafu leaps underneath a nearby car and tries to breathe, but there's no air. There's no fucking air.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Honor

**Author's Note:**

> This story is in no way meant to be disrespectful to anyone involved in the fighting during WWII or during the events of 9/11. 
> 
> Viewer discretion is advised. TRIGGER WARNING.

The story starts on September 11, 2001. It starts with a phone call from Boston and New York and American Airlines. It starts because nineteen al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four planes and went on a suicide mission. It starts because no one takes it seriously until it's too late. It starts with a regular Tuesday morning.

Roe is late. His shift at the hospital started an hour ago, but thanks to his less-than-helpful boyfriend, he's got one shoe on, he had to skip breakfast, and he's speeding towards the hospital. All in all, a typical morning.

When he arrives, he parks in his reserved spot and pulls his other shoe on. His phone chimes from its spot on the passenger seat, where Roe had thrown it in his haste to start the car fifteen minutes earlier. He lifts it up and smiles.

_Have a good day. Love u:)_

"Vous aime trop," Roe says fondly before tucking his phone into his pocket and dashing into the hospital. One of the nurses, Renee, takes one look at his disheveled appearance and bursts into laughter.

"You know, you're only rewarding bad behavior."

"It's the only behavior he has. I figure there's no cure." Roe retorts, pulling one of the lab coats on and grabbing the clipboard Renee offered to him.

"You're taking the stitches out of a boy's arm at 8:30 and then Mr. Joeffrey has surgery at 10."

"Alright, let's do it."

 

Babe Heffron follows behind his boyfriend on his way to work. He's been employed at the NYPD for three months now, and he knows his partner, Guarnere, is gonna be pissed that he's late. He parks in the parking garage and then makes his way into the station. Guarnere is in a heated card game with Joe Toye when he arrives, and he pulls up a chair.

"Way to show up on time, rookie."

"Rookie? Really? I thought we were passed this. Julian is newer than me!"

"Julian is 'kid', you're rookie." Bill replies, slapping his cards down triumphantly. Joe scowls over at him and leans back in his chair.

"When we on duty?"

"9," Babe notes that it's 8:02.

"When you headed out, Toye?"

"Luz gets in at 9, so I suppose around 10?" Babe nods and motions for Guarnere to deal him in. Toye rolls his eyes.

"Rookie," he mutters to himself.

 

Kitty gets on the subway at 7:28 and rides to lower Manhattan. She then makes the 5 minutes trek to her office at Cantor Fitzgerald at the Trade Center. On her way, she stops in to see her friend Kathryn, who owns a small diner a few blocks from Kitty's office.

"Hey!"

"Hi, Kat. Got my usual?"

"Of course, darling." Kat replies, reaching behind the counter for a small strawberry scone and a medium coffee. Kitty pays for it and waves at her friend as she walks out. She makes it into the building and over to the elevator. It takes her a few elevator rides before she arrives at floor 103. She makes her way over to her desk and sets all of her things down. She looks at the time, 8:07, before sending off a quick message to her husband, Harry.

_Lunch at 1?_

"You do realize it's four in the fucking morning, right?"

"Shit, sorry! I just wanted to let you know that my flight is leaving here soon."

"Yeah? Boston ready to get rid of you?"

"You know this book tour was important."

"Yeah, yeah," there is a sound in the background that sounds like Liebgott yawning. "You know, you've been gone so long on this tour, my ma is starting to think I made you up and put this ring on my finger myself."

"Yeah, right." Webster scoffs, looking out the airport window while he waits for his flight to board. "You couldn't afford to pay for _half_ of that ring."

"You just wait, I'm going to buy you the cheapest fucking ring I can find just to spite you."

"I would expect nothing less." Webster smiles fondly as he listens to his fiancé move in the background.

"When does your flight leave?"

"A quarter to 8." Webster replies, shifting the phone from his right ear to his left. "I can't wait to see you."

"Are you about to get overwhelmingly sappy with me? Because if so, I'm going to go throw up first."

"You're such an asshole," Webster says exasperatedly.

"You wouldn't have me any other way. Besides, who else would put up with their fiancé being gone for five months on a tour about fucking _sharks_?"

"They're seriously misunderstood creatures!" Webster defends.

"Yeah, that's what the dude on _Jurassic_ _Park_ said before all the dinosaurs ate everyone."

"Thanks so much for your support." Webster says sarcastically. Liebgott laughs.

_"Now boarding American Airlines flight 11. Now boarding American Airlines flight 11."_

"Shit, Lieb, we're boarding. I gotta go."

"Get your ass on that plane and get over here, alright?" Liebgott pauses. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Webster replies fondly before disconnecting.

 

"If I have to listen to one more person tell me how shitty I look-"

"Calm down, Nix, you look fine."

Lewis Nixon scowls over at his best friend. He can hear bullshit a mile away, and Dick Winters is sitting in it.

"You're a terrible liar." Dick smiles sheepishly and shrugs, neither confirming nor denying. Lewis hefts his beg higher up on his shoulder and he and Dick make their way towards the plane. The Boeing 757 has just been cleaned and looks immaculate.

"Weather looks pretty good today. I suspect we might make it a little earlier than usual."

"You guys the pilots?" A maintenance man yells, walking over to them. Lewis nods.

"Here for flight 77."

"Alright,"

 

Eugene Sledge makes his way out of the kitchen and into the dining room where a few people sit scattered around. He balances a plate of orange juice and water in one hand and a plate of French toast, bagels, and pancakes in the other. He makes his way over to the table and sets them down, asking the patrons if they'd like anything else. They shake their heads and he heads back to where a few other waiters are lounging around, waiting for the rush to come in about an hour or so.

Floor 106 has a spectacular view, perfect for the restaurant, although, Eugene is in no mood to enjoy it.

"So," Sid says when he approaches. Eugene knows what's coming before Sid even says it. "Snafu?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Sid."

"What is it this time?"

"He's a fucking coward." Eugene replies, glaring out the window. Last night had marked the fifth time he and Snafu had broken up since they'd started dating four months earlier.

"How so?"

"He treats me like I'm nothing whenever his friends are around. Like I don't even exist. And then the next day he's all 'I didn't mean any of it, I love you, and you know how those guys are'. I'm so fucking tired of it!"

"Maybe he just-"

"Don't you dare try to defend him right now."

"You know this will only last for, like, a day, before-"

"Not this time. I expect a fucking apology and an acknowledgement. Why the fuck should I give and give and let him take?" Their boss appears out of nowhere and frowns.

"Why the fuck aren't you serving the customers?"

Eugene sighs and ignores Sid's sympathetic look as he marches back over to the patrons.

 

Malarkey and Muck are racing through the airport, trying to find their gate.

"How late are we?" Muck asks.

"Late!" Malarkey shouts back, just as he spots the gate for flight 175. "Skip!" Muck stops running and turns to race over where Malarkey is standing. The woman taking tickets, who had just been about to close the door, does not look impressed. She says nothing, however, just takes their tickets and ushers them quickly through the door. Muck and Malarkey grin at each other as they rush down the hallway and onto the flight. The flight attendant smiles at them.

"Just made it, did you?"

"Yeah!" Muck nods shakily and they both climb aboard.

They find their seats, stow their carry-ons in the above compartment and then look at each other. Malarkey gets a wicked grin on his face, unaware that there is a pair of dark eyes watching him.

"Los Angeles, here we come!" They high-five.

 

The plane takes off fourteen minutes late, and Webster is already a little pissed. He just wants to be home, in bed, and with his fiancé. Unfortunately, the amount of traffic at the airport has made the flight longer than necessary. Liebgott would say that he's being stupid, that it's only fourteen extra minutes, but to him, it's fourteen more minutes in which he can't be at home.

He looks out the window of the plane and sighs.

And then, it happens.

 

Carwood Lipton has always liked his job at the Boston Airtraffic Control Center. As a child, he'd been fascinated with planes and how they were able to get you anywhere you needed to go. It only made sense that he'd become someone who helped those planes on their way. However, something doesn't feel right to him.

"American 11, climb maintain three five zero." Lipton waits for a reply, but none comes.

"American 11," he repeats, "climb maintain level three five zero."

No answer.

"American 11, Boston."

No answer.

"American one-one, the American on the frequency, how do you hear me?"

"This is Athens." The Athens Sector picks up. Lipton taps his finger anxiously on the desk.

"This is Boston, I turned American 20 right and I was going to climb him, he will not respond to me now...at all."

"Looks like he’s turning right." Athens replies, unhelpfully.

"Yeah, I turned him 20 right."

"Oh, okay then."

"And he’s only going to, I think, 29."

"That's fine."

"But I’m not talking to him." Lipton repeats, biting at his bottom lip.

 

There's a lot of screaming, a lot of confusion, and Webster can see that there is blood. His face goes unnaturally pale and he runs for the back of the plane. The flight attendants are business-like, unwavering in their professionalism.

"What's going on?" One of the passengers asks. The flight attendant smiles, but Webster can see that it's tight and fake.

"A medical emergency. There's nothing to worry about." She catches Webster's eyes. Her eyes are wide, almost scared. They whisper _please, keep this secret, they don't need to know_. She then slides into the seat next to him and lifts the airfone. She has someone's credit card, but Webster doesn't think it's hers.

Someone answers on the other end.

"Number 3 in the back." She responds. "Um, the cockpit’s not answering. Somebody’s stabbed in business class, and, um, I think there is Mace that we can’t breathe. I don’t know, I think we’re getting hijacked." She sounds so scared, and Webster stares out the window. His breathing halts as he listens to her speak into the mouthpiece. He only catches her end of the phone call.

"Flight 12."

"Yes."

"We just left Boston, we’re up in the air."

"We’re supposed to go to L.A. and the cockpit’s not answering their phone."

"Hello?"

The plane is picking up speed, and they're turning. _Oh god,_ Webster thinks, _we're turning._

"Okay, my name is Rachel Fin and the cockpit is not answering their phone and there's somebody stabbed in business class and there’s...we can't breathe in business class. Somebody's got Mace or something."

"I’m, I’m sitting in the back, and somebody’s coming back from business." Another flight attendant comes back through the cabin, a red piece of cloth covering her mouth and nose. "If you can hold on for one second, they’re coming back." Rachel leans forward. “Anyone know who stabbed who?" The other flight attendant shrugs and looks lost.

"I don’t know, but Karen and Bobby got stabbed." She says. Webster squeezes his eyes shut.

"Our, our Number 1 got stabbed. Our purser is stabbed. Ah, nobody knows who stabbed who and we can't even get up to business class right now because nobody can breathe. Our Number 1 is, is stabbed right now. And our Number 5. We can't get to the cockpit, the door won't open. Hello?"

"No, this is flight 11!" Rachel yells into the phone.

 

"Well, everything looks good. You guys are set for take off."

"Alright," Dick nods to Lewis. "Let's roll."

 

"Flight 11 just turned off its transponder signal." Carwood shouts to his boss. Just then, he can hear something from flight 11.

"Eh... We have some planes. Just stay quiet, and you'll be okay. We are returning to the airport." There is a short pause. "Nobody move. Everything will be okay. If you try to make any moves, you'll endanger yourself and the airplane. Just stay quiet."

Flight 11 never hears this message.

 

Ronald Speirs has just stepped onto the floor when he hears a call from someone near the front of the room.

"Sir! We're getting report of a hijacking."

"Real world or exercise?" He picks up the phone and asks Boston the same thing.

"No, sir, not a drill. Not a test." The man says hurriedly. Speirs sighs.

"Okay, give me a second."

 

"Oh god, oh god..." Muck is trying to breathe, but it isn't working.

"It's Mace. They're using Mace." Malarkey replies.

"They're terrorists." Someone whispers behind them. Malarkey stares out the window. He can hear a passenger say "I think they've taken over the cockpit. An attendant has been stabbed- and someone else up front may have been killed. The plane is making strange moves. Call United Airlines-Tell them it's Flight 175, Boston to LA."

"The flight has been hijacked, both pilots have been killed, a flight attendant has been stabbed, and the hijackers are probably flying the plane." A flight attendant says hurriedly into the airfone. Muck looks over at Malarkey.

"We almost missed our flight." He says miserably.

 

All Webster can think is that he needs to talk to Joe. He knows he's going to die, that this plane isn't going to stop, it isn't going to land, and it isn't going back to the airport. He pulls his wallet out of his pocket and extracts his credit card. He takes the airfone and slides it through. He dials their house in Los Angeles. It rings, and it rings, and it-

Goes to voicemail.

" _Hey, you've reached Webster and Liebgott. Leave it at the beep."_

"Shit, Lieb..." Webster stares out the window. They're moving too fast and going too low. "The plane...the plane just got...the plane's been hijacked and I don't know where we're going. But I need you to listen, okay? I wrote this shit out, okay? The paper is in my office, third drawer on the right. It's all yours. The money and the house, it's all yours. Just...take care of my ma, okay? She's gonna take this pretty tough. I-" he starts crying and then looks out the window again. "Jesus," he breathes. "We're too low. We're far too low. Jesus Christ, Lieb, I love-"

 

Kitty hears someone scream and she looks up. The plane is right there, barreling at them at full speed. She screams as the entire building shakes and the windows explode. She flies a few feet away from her desk and hits her head on someone else's desk. She blanks out for a few seconds before blinking up at the destroyed building around her.

 

Eugene is serving someone a Panini breakfast sandwich when suddenly there's a loud crash and he flies forward, colliding with one of the other waiters. The ceiling drops a bunch of debris on the floor around them. The windows have blown out and people are screaming. Eugene's ankle is twisted and he grits his teeth in pain. His head turns slightly and he stares. Part of the floor is missing.

 

"Uh, sir?"

Speirs turns and raises an eyebrow at the small girl in army fatigues. She has tears in her eyes.

"Kennedy Tower reports that there was a fire at the World Trade Center. And that’s, um, that’s the area where we lost the airplane. That's where we lost American 11."

 

_"We just had a plane crash into the upper floor of the World Trade Center. Transmit a 2nd Alarm and start re-located companies into the area."_

Babe stops and stares at the radio before looking wide-eyed at Bill. He is looking right back, stunned.

"Did that just say-"

"Holy shit." They both rush for their police car, along with several hundred other officers.

 

Gene has just pulled the last stitch out of the boy's arm when Renee knocks on the door. She pokes her head in and Roe is about to make a joke when he sees her face.

"What's happened?"

"The World Trade Center has just exploded."

 

Liebgott makes his way into the kitchen and turns the television on before beginning the process of making coffee. His back is turned when he hears CNN say:

"-are looking at obviously a very disturbing live shot there. That is the World Trade Center, and we have unconfirmed reports this morning that a plane has crashed into one of the towers of the World Trade Center." Liebgott turns sharply and stares at the picture of a burning building. New York City. Joe has been there once, with Webster, about a month after they first started dating. Webster had said there was no greater pizza on earth. Liebgott had had to agree.

His hair is still wet from his shower a few minutes earlier and he flicks it out of his eyes, focused on the TV screen.

 

Lewis and Dick are joking around, laughing, when Lewis finally turns serious.

"So, Dick, when are we on for that second date?"

"Nix, we've had this conversation-"

"I know, I know, you think it's a bad idea because of the divorce, but I think-"

"Nix." Dick looks at him scoldingly and yet fondly at the same time. There's suddenly a banging on the door. Nix breaks eye contact and goes to open the door.

 

"I've been on a helicopter this way before." One of the passengers says as the plane continues to pick up speed. "This is heading towards New York."

"They're going to crash the plane!" Someone else yells. Malarkey blinks the tears out of his eyes and grips Muck's hand tightly.

"Oh god," Muck murmurs, squeezing Malarkey’s hand tight. "Oh god."

 

 

Perconte is standing at Tracon and he and a bunch of other guys are watching the World Trade Center burn when a call comes in.

"Hey, can you guys look out the window right now?"

"Yeah," Perconte said, still staring at the tall building. Suddenly, there's movement to his right and he's watching another plane.

"Can you, can you see a guy at about four thousand feet, about five east of the airport right now, looks like he’s-"

"Yeah," Perconte cuts him off. "I see him."

"Is he descending into the building?"

"He’s descending really quickly too..."

"Well, that's-"

"Forty five hundred right now, he just dropped eight hundred feet in like, like one, one sweep-"

"That's another situation."

"Holy shit!" Someone behind Perconte shouts as they watch the plane ram into the South building of the World Trade Center.

"He just hit the building." Perconte says into the phone.

 

"Sir, the FAA is saying that American 11 specifically said _planes_. Plural."

"They want military action."

"We need fighters to Manhattan!"

 

Liebgott watches in horror as the plane comes into the shot and an explosion rocks the second building on live television. A plane. A plane just hit the World Trade Center. A _second_ plane just hit the World Trade Center. They're under attack.

His gaze flicks to the phone. The message light is blinking red, but he doesn't remember it ever ringing. It must have been while he was in the shower. He leans forward and hits the play button.

 

Snafu has just crawled out of bed, awoken by the sound of cop cars zipping past. He yawns, stretches, and cracks his back before stumbling into the kitchen in his boxers. He knows he should probably call Sledge and apologize, but that's not really his style and they both know it. Sledge will come crawling back, like usual, and they'll act like nothing happened. That's how their relationship works. He grabs a bottle of juice out of the fridge and pours it into a glass when his cell phone rings.

Sledge.

"Shouldn't you be at work?" He asks. There's loud background noise and he can barely make out what's being said.

"...second tower? Did they just hit...the floor over there...I don't know where he...somebody help!"

"Sledge?"

No answer.

"Eugene?" There's shifting on the other end and then it cuts off. Snafu pulls it away from his ear and stares at it a moment before redialing him. Something doesn't feel right here.

"Snafu?" The voice is quiet compared to the rumbling in the background.

"Sledge? What the fuck is going on? You called and then-"

"The tower just got hit! A fucking plane just...the tower...I don't know..."

"You're breaking up on me, Sledge. What about a plane?" There's movement on the end of the line and then Sledge sounds a little clearer.

"A plane just hit the World Trade Center about eight floors down! I don't know how to get out and I can't find Sid."

"Are you shitting me?" Snafu asked, flicking on the television.

"SOMEBODY HELP!" Someone in the background screams. All the major channels are showing the same thing: two buildings in New York City smoking and looking like a bomb just went off.

"Sledge?" His voice is tight. "Sledge, can they get to you?"

"The stairs and elevator are gone. There's no way out! There's no way out!"

 

Babe and Bill stare up at the mess above their heads. They've blocked off the roads leading towards the building. Joe Toye has his hand clasped tightly over his mouth and he's crying. Babe can't quite understand what's happening. Suddenly, Bill starts running backwards.

"They're jumping!" He shouts. "They're jumping out of the building!"

 

CNN is on mute in the living room when Harry's phone buzzes. He looks up and stops to stare at the screen before quickly hitting the sound button. That's his wife's building. His wife went to work there.

"...now that a second plane has hit, it seems very obvious that-" Harry looks down at his phone. It's a text from his wife.

_Thrs no air inn blding_

Harry gasps and stands up quickly, overturning his chair in the process.

 _Are you okay?!_ He texts back immediately.

_Peple jmpng from blding_

Harry takes off to his car. Kitty had left it this morning, knowing he'd need it to get to work in the afternoon. He gets into the front seat and starts driving. As he does, Kitty texts again.

_I'm going 2 hav 2 jump_

_Dear God,_ Harry screams in his head _, Dear God, no. Please, no._

He speeds until traffic comes to standstill and then he jumps out of the car and starts running. He is three blocks from where the police have stopped anyone from entering when he gets the last text.

_I love you. I'm sorry._

Gene wants to stay by the television, wants to see what else is going to happen, wants to know if Babe is okay, but they're starting to bring in people who were _there_. People who saw it happen and who are in shock, who were hit by debris, who look at him as if _he's_ the terrorist.

Renee is panicked behind the desk, calling in all of the doctors to help with the overflow of people coming in screaming, crying, and devastated. Gene watches a small girl clutching her mothers hand walk into the hospital.

"I can't seem to find my husband. Are you able to contact other hospitals to help me find him?"

"Which building was he in?" Gene asks already leading her towards Renee.

"He wasn't in the towers." She replies, stopping to look at him. "He was in the Pentagon."

 

Snafu is in a panic when he makes it to the barricade where the police have pushed them back. He can see a few cops he doesn't recognize, but one that he does.

"Babe!"

Babe Heffron turns and looks at Snafu before stepping closer.

"Babe, please, I-"

"What are you going to do, Snaf? You gonna climb up invisible stairs through the smoke and rescue him?" Babe doesn't say it to be mean.

"He's going to die, Babe."

"I know."

Snafu's phone rings before he can respond.

"Sledge?"

"I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry I yelled at you last night and that I-"

"Don't you fucking dare try to say goodbye to me right now."

"Snafu, I don't think-"

"Sledge, it's my fault, okay? I've never been comfortable being gay. I hate that I'm somehow different from everyone else just because I love someone of the same gender. But I do love you, Sledge. I love you a lot, and you're not going to die today, okay?"

"I'm the only one left, Snaf. Everyone else up here either fell through the floor or they jumped." He pauses. "Sid jumped, Snaf. He told me it was either die in the fire or jump."

Snafu looks at Babe when he answers, "Sid jumped out of the building?" Babe squeezes his eyes shut and backs away.

"Yeah," Sledge whispers and it gets stuck in the wind. "I don't want to die, Snaf."

 

"Sir, United 93 has been reported as hijacked."

"Shut it down." Speirs shouts.

"Shut down what, sir?" The girl asks, confused.

"Everything. I want all planes to land wherever they can. I don't want any flights coming through from South America, or Europe, or the Pacific."

"Canada?"

"Shut down the Northern Border, too. I don't want anyone flying over the top, either. Shut it down."

"You want us to shut down the entire United States?" The girl asks.

"Yes. Shut it down."

 

"The building is falling!" Babe turns and watches as the building begins to crumble. He stands in stunned silence as it all comes tumbling down. Bill's hand snakes out and tugs him along as they run, trying to get away from it. Bill flings them inside one of the shops near the towers and a few people follow them in. Then, the entire front of the store is like a whiteout. It covers everything and Babe can't breathe. He pulls his cell phone out and calls the hospital. A nurse he doesn't recognize answers.

"NewYork-Presbyterian, please hold." Babe leans against a wall, but his knees buckle and he slides down until his ass is on the marble floor. There are two teenage girls crying in the corner.

"Hello?"

"I need to speak to Doctor Gene Roe."

"I'm sorry, he's currently unavailable at the moment. Emergency."

"Look, this is Babe Heffron from the NYPD-"

"Sir, he's very busy what with the World Trade Centers and the Pentagon crashes."

"The Pentagon?" Babe gasps, looking up at Bill. Bill frowns and reaches for his own phone.

"If you were a _real_ cop, you'd obviously know. I don't have time for this." She hangs up on him. Babe stares at the phone in his lap. Bill is talking rapidly on his phone.

"What do you mean? Someone crashed into the Pentagon? Well why the hell weren't _we_ informed? What the fuck does that mean! It's not like we could do anything for those people! United 93? _Another plane!"_ Babe can't take it. He curls up into a ball on the floor and begins to weep.

 

" _Jesus Christ, Lieb, I love-"_ Liebgott curls up on the sofa and stares at the ring on his finger. He can't cry, and he's not sure why not. He's cried before, when he was so angry at Web for something stupid. He cried when Web proposed. But he can't cry now that his fiancé, the man of his dreams is dead.

His mom is on the way over, but he's not sure he wants to see her. What will he say? What _can_ he say? Webster had made him better. He'd smiled more, laughed more, been happier. Now Web was gone and a war was starting.

 

"Reports of screaming on United 93, sir!"

"Jesus Christ, what the fuck is happening to this country!"

"The military is authorizing weapons, sir."

 

"Sledge, it's going to be okay. I swear to you it will, okay?"

"I love you, Snaf. I'm so fucking sorry, okay? I'm so fucking sorry."

"It's okay, babe. It's okay. You're fine. We're fine." Snafu leans his head back against the brick wall. "Everything's going to be alright."

 

"There is a report of black smoke in the last position I gave you, fifteen miles south of Johnstown."

"United 93?" Speirs asks, looking at the girl. She nods. "Smoke from the airplane or from the ground?"

"Uh, they’re speculating it’s from the aircraft, ah, who, it hit the ground, that’s what they’re, that’s what they’re speculating, that’s speculation only." She stammered.

"What about Flight 77? Do we have any idea where they went?"

"Sir, do we pass along the shoot-down order?"

Speirs stops and stares at CNN. One tower remains. He closes his eyes and sends a quick prayer up to God.

"No. No, I don't want any shooting. We might be shooting our own people."

 

"United 93 is down." Lipton turns and looks at the boss. Everyone else does the same.

"When did he land?"

"He didn't land."

"Oh, he's down, down?"

"The passengers crashed it. They fought back."

 

"Snafu, I think that something's-"

Snafu sits in stunned horror as the building collapses. The dust rises first and then slowly slips through every available crack on the street. Snafu leaps underneath a nearby car and tries to breathe, but there's no air. There's no fucking air.

 

"Babe, we have to go."

"I don't know what to do, Bill." Babe replies, looking up at his friend from where he lies on the floor. It's five in the evening. They've been in this building for ages because they were told to stay clear until they were sure there were no more planes.

"Joe is waiting for us just down the street. He's going to take us to the hospital."

"Why are we going to the hospital?"

"Because there isn't anything left for you to do. You're going home. But first, we're gonna go find your boy."

Renee looks awful when Babe enters the hospital. There's blood on her scrubs and a haunted look in her eye. She doesn't smile when she sees him, just continues to stitch up the forehead of someone who is staring at the wall and covered in dust. When she's finished, she turns and pulls him into a quick hug before shoving him towards the door.

"He was useless about an hour ago. Said he couldn't get a hold of you. Couldn't get a hold of anyone. I think they shut down some of the cell lines with all the calling. He went home. That's where you'll find him."

So Joe and Bill take him home and wait for him to unlock the front door before they drive back to Manhattan. They'll let the rookie have one night of peace.

He finds Gene inside, staring at the CNN photos of the collapse, and of the Pentagon wreckage, and of the field in Pennsylvania. He turns when Babe enters the room and their eyes meet. Gene has tears in his eyes and Babe starts crying again. Gene takes two strides and then he's hugging Babe tightly.

"I love you." Gene whispers into his hair.

"I love you." Babe repeats, hugging him tighter.

 

"Snafu?"

"Babe? What the hell are you-?"

"They found Eugene, Snafu. They pulled him out of the wreckage about an hour ago."

Snafu sits down. They pulled his body out of the wreckage. They'll want his parents to take it, and they won't let Snafu see him again. They hate him. They think he stole their precious baby boy.

"He's alive, Snafu." Babe whispers. "I don't know how, but he's alive."

 

**Author's Note:**

> Sources:  
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tenants_in_Two_World_Trade_Center  
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tenants_in_One_World_Trade_Center  
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Center  
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_for_the_day_of_the_September_11_attacks  
> http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/09/08/nyregion/911-tapes.html?_r=0  
> I also watched CNN coverage, listened to transcripts, watched a documentary on American 11 and watched the movie United 93 (which was really good)


End file.
